Dragon's Tears
by Kohaku Frost
Summary: Rin has returned to Ivalice a full fleged, powerful Dragoner. Finding Alma and Ramza alive, she learns Ramza is married to the True Dragoner Rin is to serve. And when Ovelia is dead, how can Rin deal with Delita's obsession when he comes after her?
1. Loneliness

Dragon's Tears  
  
One - Loneliness  
  
Standard disclaimers apply; I don't own any Final Fantasy Tactics characters. All ideas used and original characters belong to Beware of Mage and Tsuki Ryu Productions. I don't own any of the lyrics I print; I just think they add a nicely atmospheric touch and belong to musicians whose music I adore. All excerpts from the game belong to Square. Enjoy!  
Kohaku Frost  
  
I am Alazlam, a scholar of ancient Ivalice history.  
  
Have you ever heard of the "Lion War"?  
  
It divided Ivalice in two over who would be the successor to the  
throne. It ended with the appearance of a young hero named  
Delita.  
  
Everybody living here knows this hero's tale.  
  
But we also know that what we see with our eyes alone.isn't  
necessarily the truth.  
  
Here's a young man. He is the youngest son of the noble  
Beoulve.pillars of knighthood.  
  
There's no record of him playing an active role in history but.  
  
According to the "Duray Report" released last year (concealed  
for many years by church), this unknown man is the true hero.  
  
The church claims he was a blasphemer and anarchist - the root  
of all evil.  
  
But is this the "truth"?  
  
Won't you join me on a journey for the "truth"?  
  
This is how one of the Final Fantasy series deepest stories begins. FF Tactics is one of my favorite games, not just because of the awesome battle system, but the storyline seems to have themes that can be recognized as valid and intriguing in the real world. I love writing fanfiction, whether people read it or not. This is the twelfth fic I'm working on at the moment, for the record it was started at 6:00PM on 8/30/03. Anyway, enough chitchat for the time being; lyrics, then story.  
  
My divorce from dependence  
That's when you found me  
I was still soft  
And we always were in trouble  
Odds stacked against us  
And trouble's what we are  
  
We get so far  
And then it just starts rewinding  
And the same old song  
We're playing it again  
Suspension without suspense  
  
Now that I've murdered your inspiration  
And I forced you off  
Do you hate me?  
Do you want revenge?  
I want to call you  
But I won't  
  
We get so far  
And then it just starts rewinding  
And the same old song  
We're playing it again  
Suspension without suspense  
  
Oh the pessimistic protection plan  
Moderation loving  
I've been hardened by the circumstance  
We knew this was coming  
  
We get so far  
And then it just starts rewinding  
And the same old song  
We're playing it again  
Suspension without suspense  
  
We get so far  
And then it just starts rewinding  
And the same old song  
We're playing it again and again  
Suspension without suspense  
Intentions without intent  
But I don't want the love we have to end  
  
"Suspension without Suspense" No Doubt  
  
In the time of St. Ajora, technology was a supreme art. It infected every part of life, but it improved things and aided personal development. That is why technology vanished. The Church and the ruling families had given in to their fear that the more independent and intelligent the commoners became, the more likely they would be to rebel. That was the truth. Not High Priest Funeral's crap about how technology had been destroying nature and magic.  
  
Rin pushed the boring textbook away from her workspace and rubbed her eyes. She hated living in the convent. But, it beat being stuck on the streets in Goug. Rin Lekaia had been orphaned by the Black Plague at the age of ten, and she had lived in the convent for five years now. Five years of having to stomach the Church's bullshit. But she had not forgotten the lessons her brother had passed on. And no matter how much Funeral and Draclau tried, she would never forget.  
  
The black haired girl's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Alma and Princess Ovelia. Alma was Rin's closest friend, but Ovelia had no use for her and regarded her as a commoner. The two rivals had declared a truce for when Alma was present, though they never pretended to be friends.  
  
"Miss Rin, I see you have been studying. Is it difficult for you?" Ovelia gazed pointedly at the discarded book. It was obvious that she did not expect an answer, but Rin rose and bowed low, but like all her motions, there was an air of mockery about it.  
  
"I am happy to see you in good health, Your Highness. Yes, Your Highness, I was studying, but I took a break to rest my eyes." Rin rose only after Ovelia gestured, and Rin was aware that she had let her disrespect show with her overly pompous greeting, and the stilted manner of speech. The slap brought tears to Rin's eyes, but she flatly refused to flinch.  
  
Rin heard Alma gasp and felt the nurturing girl's arm encircle her small shoulders. The click of Ovelia's shoes drifted away and the two friends were left alone. Rin pushed the youngest Beoulve away and hung her head. Ovelia was just like the other nobles, stuffy, stuck on herself, and rude. But...sometimes Rin wondered if Ovelia had not been born of commoners and switched at birth. It was little things, like the way she was so uncomfortable with her authority among other nobles, but overly cruel to commoners, as if she feared them and wanted to eliminate them.  
  
"Rin, why do you provoke her so? It does you no good to be on her bad side." Rin sighed dismally, recognizing the truth of Alma's words. She didn't know why she hated Ovelia so much, and she didn't really care, but Alma would never give up, and Rin did not want to offend her friend.  
  
"It's because I believe she is a fraud. I cannot respect her because of that belief." Alma's eyes widened in shock, but she digested the words and understood what Rin meant. Alma had always trusted her friend's instincts, even though Rin never spoke of her life before coming to the convent. Alma was aware that Rin had been brought to the convent by her own father, Balbanes Beoulve.  
  
According to him, he had found her sitting quietly next to the body of her older brother, polishing his armor after the battle that had claimed his life. Balbanes had known the young man as being an upright and brave soldier, and an orphan. He had taken in the girl and sent her to the convent with Alma. Rin, Alma and Teta were close friends, and holidays in the Beoulve household were always lively. Alma knew that Rin spent most of her time with Balbanes, and she knew that her father had come to love the sarcastic girl very much. They talked about many things, and when her father was feeling well, he would train her just as if she was one of the boys. Rin also spent a lot of time in Dycedarg's office, and Alma's oldest brother enjoyed the company. It appeared that she got along with everyone, except Ramza. Alma was positive that he had a crush on Rin, but Delita had already expressed his interest.  
  
Rin got up with more grace than Queen Ruvelia herself and stared over at the wall. The bells in the tower rang the hour and Alma looked at Rin with concern. Something was bothering the dark haired girl, and Alma had a painful suspicion that she knew what it was. Her suspicions were confirmed when Rin spoke.  
  
"I know you've heard what they say about me. 'The ward of the Beoulve family, Balbanes found a good whore for his sons.'" The anger in Rin's voice was evident, and Alma sympathized completely. It was wrong what the jealous, spiteful girls said, but that did not matter to the priests who were convinced that she would do anything to be a noble. They had been proven wrong time and time again, but it didn't matter, everyone was getting tense, thanks to the increased Death Corps activity in the area. The monks were terrified that they would attack the monastery.  
  
The Death Corps did attack the monastery, that very night to be exact.  
  
* * *  
  
The battle around Rin raged fierce and deadly, five of the monastery guards had fallen already, though it did not appear that they were aware of Ovelia's presence. It seemed more that they were after her. This was something that greatly disturbed her; she had no living enemies (her dear departed brother had seen to that), and she was not wealthy or important, so why would they be after her?  
  
Rin was currently hiding in a stack of rolled carpets used for decoration when high ranking clergy visited. Ever so often, some Death Corps members would pass by, and once she heard them mention her name. She had learned at a young age how to hide without sound, thanks to the bastards who had wanted to buy her and the parents more than willing to sell her. But if they couldn't find her, she couldn't be sold.  
  
A cramp in her leg forced Rin to shift slightly, drawing the unwanted attention of a passing thief. The scarf covered head of the Death Corps soldier came closer and Rin felt Alma tense. The youngest Beoulve had been knocked on the head by Rin to quell the girl's near hysteria. Rin had dragged her to the pile of rugs and hidden the both of them, terrified of Alma being caught by fanatical noble-haters. Rin was less afraid for herself, seeing as she could masquerade as a servant if they were not looking for her. Squeezing Alma's hand reassuringly as the cautious Thief approached, Rin made her final decision, come what may.  
  
Rin shifted hard, convincing the woman that there was someone hiding there. Rin whimpered for good effect, trying to put a fear that she did not feel into the sound. Then, just as the Thief reached out her filthy hand to reveal whatever was hiding in the rugs, Rin slid out, careful to leave Alma's cover alone. She scrambled to her feet and ran down the hallway, her banner of black hair whipping behind her. The Thief gave a shout and attempted to catch Rin. Fat chance of that.  
  
Rin turned the corner a top speed, leaving the Thief far behind. She slowed and pulled back a tapestry, revealing a secret passage. She dashed down it, taking many different turns, but not realizing that she was leaving footprints behind it the thick dust. The leader of the Death Corps team attacking the monastery diligently followed the trail, and using his Ninja abilities he snuck up behind Rin, knocking her unconscious with a well aimed punch to the gut when she turned around.  
  
Getting what he came for, the Ninja went back the way he came and left the monastery, heading for the rendezvous point where his employer was waiting. He would have to be back at the Death Corps base before morning, or else Wiegraf would know that he and his team had gone the route of the mercenary to get some extra cash. What he didn't realize was that once his purpose was fulfilled he would be executed by the very man who hired him.  
  
End Chapter One - Loneliness 


	2. Big Brother's Betrayal

Dragon's Tears  
  
Two - Big Brother's Betrayal  
  
Standard disclaimers apply; I don't own any Final Fantasy Tactics characters. All ideas used and original characters belong to Beware of Mage and Tsuki Ryu Productions. I don't own any of the lyrics I print; I just think they add a nicely atmospheric touch and belong to musicians whose music I adore. All excerpts from the game belong to Square. Enjoy!  
Kohaku Frost  
  
Hope you reviewed the last chapter. I know you know how to use that review button! Next chapter.  
  
I think I've already lost you  
I think you're already gone  
I think I'm finally scared now  
You think I'm weak - But I think you're wrong  
I think you're already leaving  
Feels like your hand is on the door  
I thought this place was an empire  
But now I'm relaxed - I can't be sure  
  
I think you're so mean - I think we should try  
I think I could need - this in my life  
I think I'm just scared - I think too much  
I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing  
  
If you're gone - maybe it's time to go home  
There's an awful lot of breathing room  
But I can hardly move  
If you're gone - baby you need to come home  
Cuz there's a little bit of something me  
In everything in you  
  
I bet you're hard to get over  
I bet the room just won't shine  
I bet my hands I can stay here  
I bet you need - more than you mind  
  
I think you're so mean - I think we should try  
I think I could need - this in my life  
I think I'm just scared - I think too much  
I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing  
  
If you're gone - maybe it's time to go home  
There's an awful lot of breathing room  
But I can hardly move  
If you're gone - baby you need to come home  
Cuz there's a little bit of something me  
In everything in you  
  
I think you're so mean - I think we should try  
I think I could need - this in my life  
I think I'm just scared - do I talk too much  
I know it's wrong it's a problem I'm dealing  
  
"If you're Gone" Matchbox Twenty  
  
Rin floated into the waking world on wings of pain. When she opened her eyes, she was in her room, in her bed. Dycedarg sat at her desk, watching her sleep. The gleam in his eyes disturbed Rin greatly; it was something selfish and cruel. He had not yet noticed that she was awake, and Rin took the opportunity to study his face. It appeared that something deep within those eyes of stone had snapped. A spasm of pain tore through the black haired girl's midsection and Rin could not stop the sound slipping from her throat. Dycedarg's eyes immediately focused on her still form and he spoke, giving a much required explanation.  
  
"Well, for a while there I was not sure of you ever waking. Yes I am aware that you are wondering why I had you brought here in such a manner. It is because if you reject my proposition, no one will ever know." Rin's eyes widened sharply at the tone Dycedarg used. He seemed almost.unhinged. He was looking at her oddly as well, as if she was an eligible woman, and not his foster sister. It scared her, the look in his eyes, the way he moved, all these things were somehow predatory and frightening. Rin watched him, gently releasing the energy she had horded to control the skills her brother had taught her. If the Duke made even one wrong move, he would die in the utmost degrees of pain.  
  
"My dear Rin, I want you to be my mistress. Oh, don't look like that my pet. I would marry you, but you are not a noble. I would see to it that you are well taken care of, and any children you have would be recognized as mine." Dycedarg looked at her hungrily, eyeing her like a piece of meat, or an experienced whore willing to give him a free one. It appeared that he could not conceive of being rejected, but if he was, he had prepared to make it look like the work of the Death Corps. Rin looked at him with disgust, the thought of her disgracing herself to be a mere mistress! Her answer was sharp and decisive.  
  
"Your Grace," Rin voice started out sweet, but soon became mocking venom guaranteed to destroy. "I would sooner marry a leprous pig than become your mistress!!"  
  
Dycedarg acted instantly, giving Rin no chance to react to his sudden movement. It seemed that he reached her bedside in seconds and had her arms pinned over her head. Rin struggled, but he was many years older and far stronger than she, and her efforts were fruitless. Before she could scream, Dycedarg had his lips pressed against hers, demanding and vile, a contact the beautiful girl with green eyes loathed. She wanted to scream, to fight, yet her youthful body had no effect against the forceful body of the man she considered her big brother. She did not want her first time with a man to be like this, she wanted to be with Ramza, she wanted Ramza to save her. Rin found amazing strength deep within her soul, strength that unleashed the skills that her ancestors had died to keep secret. Dycedarg was flung to the other side of her bedroom by the force of the energy released.  
  
Rin knew that in her weakened state she would not hold out for long, but she would sooner die than be taken by the Duke. Rin looked around the room desperately. Her eyes passed over her salvation three times before she realized it. The window! She saw Dycedarg move to rise and she sent another burst of energy, knocking him unconscious. She ran to the window and opened it frantically, peering out into the dark night. She was in a tower, but below her was tied Zalbag's horse. It was certain suicide, but, unless she could grow wings, she would perish, and it was better to be dead than raped by Dycedarg. She looked back at the stirring Duke and without further hesitation leaped from the window.  
  
As she fell, Rin heard a scream torn from her own throat, and she felt piercing pain on her shoulders, felt the blood running down her arms. The pain was the last thing she felt before she gave inn to the darkness.  
  
End Chapter Two - Big Brother's Betrayal 


	3. Salvation is Destiny

Dragon's Tears  
  
Three - Salvation is Destiny  
  
Standard disclaimers apply; I don't own any Final Fantasy Tactics characters. All ideas used and original characters belong to Beware of Mage and Tsuki Ryu Productions. I don't own any of the lyrics I print; I just think they add a nicely atmospheric touch and belong to musicians whose music I adore. All excerpts from the game belong to Square. Enjoy!  
Kohaku Frost  
  
Sorry it has taken so long to update. I hope you like my fic so far, I think I'm getting better, but it would help for someone to tell me so! ^_^  
  
I just want to take you away from everyone  
And keep you stashed under my pillow  
And then I'd take you out simply for my own pleasure  
And wear you when the occasions special  
Then I'd put you on like a diamond  
So I can sparkle and be the envy of my friends  
I'd proudly hold the leash that I'd have you on  
So you can't stray and follow me around all day  
  
It's too late now  
I don't think it can fade  
It's too real now  
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze  
  
Compulsion has stained me  
I'm nervously cradling our young love  
Without known limits love  
Like a butterfly cupped in my hands  
I peek in to see beauty trapped  
Confined it flutters  
Then it leaves behind colorful dust  
To remind me of the special times we've had  
But of course it has to leave my clutch  
But enough's never enough to make a dent  
  
It's too late now  
I don't think it can fade  
It's too real now  
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze  
  
And in time it will end  
And there really isn't hope for the two of us  
But right now I give in.  
  
It's too late now  
I don't think it can fade  
It's too real now  
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze  
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the  
Fulfillment just adds fuel to the blaze  
  
"Too Late" No Doubt  
  
Rin was warm and ...comfortable? How did that happen? Death was supposed to be cold and involved the absence of all feeling. That's what the Church taught. But, more importantly, what was that pain? She shifted her more greatly injured shoulder and hissed in pain. What in all the blazing hells had happened??? Rin forced her quite unwilling body to move, and she bit back the hiss seeking to escape her lips. She paused and heard, to her horror, something moving in the same space. Something big. Something big and scaly and it sounded hungry.  
  
The large whatever-it-was came closer to her and she could sense it reach for her, fear had paralyzed her body. She wanted to move, to scream, anything to deter the creature. Yet, as she was feeling this, another, calmer, more logical side of her mind was trying to puzzle out what the creature could be. It had wings (it had plucked her out of midair), but that meant it had to be a flotiball or...a dragon. Rin's shudder sent ripples through her long black hair. She felt the evidence click into place in her mind and she knew that unless she was gravely mistaken, she had been snatched out of thin air by a hungry dragon and said beast had taken her to it's lair, where it was planning to make a meal of her. She wondered if the rumors were true and dragons picked their teeth with the bones of their meals, or that, if it was a soul-bearing dragon, it said grace before the feast. At least, that's what the church would have the commoners believe. But maybe it would not make her food; her brother had said something about their bloodline having dragoner ancestors, perhaps it had answered the call for salvation in her time of need, responding directly to her soul? What if...the legends about dragoners were true? That the dragoner acquired the abilities of its dragon, and could assume the dragon's form at will?  
  
Rin's heart began to beat in excitement, replacing her earlier fear. But...there had been no dragoners since St. Ajora's time. The Church had gone so far as to deny that dragoners had ever existed. The Glabados Church had demanded the presentation of all who had signs of becoming dragoners. The girls were taken to the church headquarters and there...they vanished. Most people theorized that they were executed, but that was not true for all of them. Dragoners were famous for their beauty, and many wound up as the mistresses of priests, some willing, others forced. Similar to her experiences of...when? How long had she been unconscious? How long had she been in the dragon's...care?  
  
Rin had no more time to ponder her survival, for the dragon had picked her up with the foot of one foreleg. Rin's eyes snapped open in reflex, and she saw that she was in a large cavern, made entirely of crystal, surrounded by dragon eggs, and in the center of it all, was a deathly beautiful black dragon, holding Rin aloft. This creature was unlike the pictures of dragons she had seen in the books at the convent. Those illustrations portrayed the dragons as hideous and loathsome creatures; the reality was incomparably different. This dragon was the absolutely the most beautiful creature she had seen in her entire life; its neck was long and slender, the scales fitting together perfectly to shield the life giving esophagus and veins. The scales themselves shone like black diamonds, reflecting the light just as effortlessly as the crystals making the cavern. The wings were opened, slightly, and it appeared that the cavern would not hold the dragon's full wingspan.  
  
Rin's examination of her captor was cut short by the dragon's study of her. Rin was lifted up by the claws of the dragon's other foreleg. She squirmed under the scrutiny, but since it seemed that the dragon was not going to eat her for breakfast, she had relaxed. The dragon rolled Rin around on its palm and studied her from all angles. It seemed satisfied with what it had seen, and it moved her over to the nearest clutch of eggs. The black dragon set her down and stepped back. It was then that Rin noticed that the eggs were moving, were about to hatch! Rin stared in horror as the egg closest to her cracked, and furious taps were coming from the inside.  
  
***  
  
Nyx was ecstatic to hear the call once more, and just as the last of her kind were about to hatch, too! The call of a dragoner driven to desperation by the desire to survive, the soul-born plea for a savior, the eternal summon of Dragonkind, by the last of the true Blood. The last natural Dragoner capable of summoning Nyx from her long sleep. Dragons still walked the land, but they were weak, stupid, and impossible to reason with. She had waited for thousands of years for a true Dragoner to walk the land, nurturing the eggs of her race, none of them were hers directly, and she had been too young to mate then, eager for revenge against the humans who killed the rest of her kind. The years had not dimmed her anger or calmed her fury, and she had waited for a True Dragoner to make the plea, and wake her from the dreamless sleep that had plagued her.  
  
The human was of remarkable beauty, and power. She had been engaged in some sort of struggle, using bursts of her energy to incapacitate another human who was trying to do her harm. The girl was desperate to escape and had thrown herself to her death in hoping that she would not survive. But Nyx had caught her, flown her here to the sanctuary across the sea, and where she would wait patiently for the girl to waken and the eggs to hatch.  
  
Nyx had despaired of ever finding a Dragoner. The Vile Institution* had tried to exterminate the Dragoners as well as the great beasts that served them, until only this one girl was left. Nyx smiled in the darkness of the cave; Ebony's clutch would hatch first, and this girl would be accepted by them, by all 19 of them! This girl would return to the land of the Vile Institution with an army of Dragons at her side; and at the sight of that grand flight, all the girls with even the thinnest Dragoner Blood would run to take their rightful place at the head of their Wings**.  
  
The dragon's fantasy was ended by the stirring of the girl. Nyx crawled over to the figure of her catch and peered intently at her. Nyx saw with concern the wounds her claws had inadvertently made on the girl's soft shoulders. Nyx strained her ears for the sound of the girl's heartbeat, which had been racing in fear, but which was now sounding excited. ~Yesss, child, there isss nothing to fear. You are dessstined for greatnesssss, young Dragoner~*** Nyx picked the girl up, staring intently at her wounds, deeming them incapable of threatening the Dragoner's life, and set her down beside Ebony's clutch. As the eggs started to crack, Nyx felt a new surge of fear come from the girl. This would be the test, Nyx knew. If her strength was enough to overcome her fear, she would find more love and loyalty than she could ever imagine.  
  
End Chapter Three - Salvation is Destiny  
  
* The "Vile Institution" is the Glabados Church.  
  
** A "Wing" of dragons is a single fighting unit, usually of three to five dragons.  
  
*** The dragons speak like this because the tongues are forked. Duh!  
  
R&R!!!!! 


	4. Ramza's Grief

Dragon's Tears  
  
Four - Ramza's Grief  
  
Standard disclaimers apply; I don't own any Final Fantasy Tactics characters. All ideas used and original characters belong to Beware of Mage and Tsuki Ryu Productions. I don't own any of the lyrics I print; I just think they add a nicely atmospheric touch and belong to musicians whose music I adore. All excerpts from the game belong to Square. Enjoy!  
Kohaku Frost  
  
Sorry it has taken so long to update. I hope you like my fic so far, I think I'm getting better, but it would help for someone to tell me so! ^_^  
  
Can you tell I'm faking it?  
But I want to be myself  
A counterfeit disposition  
Can't be good for my health  
So many different faces  
Depending on the different phases  
My personality changes  
I'm a chameleon  
There's more than one dimension  
I can fool you and attract attention  
Camouflage my nature  
Let me demonstrate  
  
Makeup's all off  
Who am I?  
Magic's in the makeup  
Who am I?  
  
If you bore me then I'm comfortable  
If you interest me then I'm scared  
My attraction paralyzes me  
No courage to show my true colors that exist  
But I want to be the real thing  
But if you catch my eye can't be authentic  
The ones I loathe are the ones that know me the best  
  
Makeup's all off  
Who am I?  
Magic's in the makeup  
Who am I?  
  
The makeup's all off  
Who am I?  
If the magic's in the makeup  
Then who am I?  
Magic's in the makeup  
But I want to be the real thing  
But the magic's in the makeup  
And I want to be the real thing  
  
My makeup's all off  
Who am I?  
  
"Magic's in the Makeup" No Doubt  
  
Ramza walked up the steps to the massive front doors of Beoulve Castle. He came bearing terrible news to his elder brothers: Rin had been kidnapped in the night by renegade Death Corps members, and there was no sign of her anywhere in all of Igros. The blonde squire had been up the whole night, scouring the countryside, looking for his beloved Rin. But it was as if something had simply swooped down and snatched her away. He wanted, no needed to find her, for his sake as much as Alma's. For the simple fact that he had never told her how much he loved her...  
  
Once inside the opulent castle, Ramza went straight to Dycedarg's office. Zalbag was sitting in a red wingback chair, and Dycedarg was behind the desk. Ramza stopped and studied their faces a moment. Something didn't feel right.  
  
"Brothers, they monastery was attacked last night." Ramza caught an accusatory glance from Zalbag to Dycedarg, but he continued nonetheless. "It seems they were after Rin. She was kidnapped trying to save Alma, and that's the last we know of what happened to her. We found where she tried to escape, but her attempts all failed. The chocobo was, surprisingly, traced back here, to Igros. Does anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on?!" Ramza had seen Zalbag pale suddenly, and glare even more fiercely at Dycedarg. And he saw Dycedarg's warning look at Zalbag. It was then that he knew, Dycedarg was responsible for Rin's disappearance.  
  
"Ramza, I had one of our operatives within the Death Corps bring Rin here, so that I could confront her with her activities lately. As sad as it is, Rin was and agent of Prince Goltana, and she was planning an assassination attempt on our own Prince Larg." Dycedarg's words were sweet, but Ramza knew better. He wasn't a fool, in spite of his youth, and he had seen the way Dycedarg had looked at Rin on her last visit. And there had been other girls, lovely maids, serving girls, all had disappeared, once Dycedarg got that look. And now his own beloved Rin, whose hair was darker than night, and her eyes of emeralds always laughing, teasing, always looking at Ramza...  
  
Ramza turned on his heel and stormed out of the castle. He ran through the well tended gardens until he reached the old gazebo covered with climbing roses that had been Rin's favorite place. It was on the edge of the property, and Rin had adored it. Ramza threw himself on the padded bench and sobbed, his pained screams becoming soft howls muffled by his arms. The tears poured down his cheeks, soaking the cushioned seat, but he didn't care. His love, his dark haired, laughing eyed angel was gone, destroyed at his brother's hand.  
  
Hours later, Ramza went directly to his chocobo and saddled up, riding back to Gariland. He didn't set foot in Beoulve castle until his father's death. And he swore that Rin would be avenged.  
  
End Chapter Four - Ramza's Grief 


	5. Coming Home

Dragon's Tears  
  
Chapter Five - Coming Home  
  
A/N: In this fic, as of this chappie, six years have passed since Ramza learned of Rin's "death". The Lion War is over, Alma and Ramza have fled Ivalice, and it is just prior to Ovelia's murder (Delita kills her out of jealousy). Bear with me, if I recieve requests, I will write a separate side story on what Rin did during the War. Thank you, and R&R!!!  
  
It had been six years since Rin had been saved by the dragon. The Lion War had just ended, and the quiet young woman had recieved news of Ramza's death, on the heels of her celebrating Dycedarg's demise. Heartbroken, Rin returned home on the back of her black dragon, Lynsi. Lynsi was the last of the eggs to atch, and had Rin not intervened, the hatchling would have died. The black's devotion to her master was complete and total; Lynsi would have gladly walked through the gates of Hell for the dark Dragoner. Having traveled extensively since the eggs had hatched, Rin had trained as a Sorceress, an Archer variation of a Magic Fencer. Her fortune had been made as a mercenary, and in her spare time, she had delivered little dragonets to the new Dragoners that Onyx led her to. Rin admitted the temptation to find and kill Dycedarg had been strong, but every time she thought of it, Onyx or Lynsi would trap her in the Dragon Isles. The loyalty of the mighty reptiles had brought Rin back from doing something drastic many times.  
  
This time, Rin had been allowed to return to Ivalice to fulfill a two- fold purpose of finding the True Dragoner, and her private reason of avenging and mourning Ramza. To this latter end, the black haired mage- warrior was determined to reach Delita, with damning results at the end of the road. After all, excommunication was the punishment for murder, and separation from the Church was supposed to send you to Hell. In her soul, Rin didn't care if she was damned, as long as she could find Ramza, in this life or the next. Lynsi had sensed her mistress' distress, and the young dragon sought to ease the torment in Rin's heart. All her efforts failed; deleting Delita was the only thought in Rin's mind.  
  
Lynsi landed in an open patch of meadow near the Royal Igros Cemetery. The strong clawed forefeet sank into the muddy, wet ground, making a disgusting "squish" sound. The stabilizing wingbeats sent sprays of water out, shaking the dripping trees. It had been raining for days, and the overcast, clouded sky showed no sign of easing up in the forseeable future. The wind had fled before the dark promise in the dragon's presence, and the sprinkle of rain fell steadily downward, monotonous, dead, and complimenting Rin's mood adequately. It weighed heavily on Lynsi's optimistic nature, seeming to herald an end to their newly grown happiness. But it might just be Master's depression, Lynsi reasoned. Nothing alive could separate them...yet...could the ghost of Rin's unspoken love eradicate what self-confidence and joy Onyx had worked so hard to instill in Rin?  
  
What of this "Alma" that Rin seemed to think of so often? Was an old human friendship capable of damaging the steady devotion between the dragon and her Dragoner? Since the first sentient dragon had been bonded to the first little girl that hadn't been afraid, the relationship between Dragoner and dragon had been the most important friendship between the two. Any violation of this unstated contract -dragons chasing after new Dragoners, Dragoners valuing humans more, material wealth taking precedence- and the Dragoner loses control of the reptile, and the dragon reverts to its primal nature. Very few cases of such stupidity had been recorded, but the knowledge was there, and with the Dragoners finally returning from their genetic retreat, they needed every compatible pair to be ready. The church had lost much of its power, the plot to ensconce one of their toadies on the throne having failed terribly, and the return of Bloody Angel being averted by the sacrifice of sweet Alma and dear Ramza.  
  
Lynsi pushed her jealousy out of her mind and focused on Rin's distress. The mage-warrior had entered the cemetery in perfect silence, going first to Dycedarg's grave, filled with such despair that she didn't bother casting a curse on the vile Duke's soul. She brushed the ornate headstone and marble tomb once with her emerald eyes, then moved on. Alma's grave was next, decked out and designed in the fashion the Church deemed proper for a devout young virgin taken before she could marry and pop out a small army of children, to be raised as devout believers in the teachings of Glabados. The icy green gaze hardened further, lingering on the hand-carved religious symbols and spinster-clad angels with faces like hungry dogs, revealing the bottomless scorn and loathing in the soul of the common-born woman. Whispering a silent prayer she had learned in a far distant land, where no one had ever heard of Saint Ajora, Rin choked on her tears, but refused to cry for Alma. Her misery was over, yet Rin's would not be for centuries to come; Dragoners lived as long as their dragons, who could enjoy a youth spanning millenia.  
  
After leaving Alma's pious shrine, Rin slowed her steps, dreading the visual confirmation of seeing Ramza's grave. At last, she came to a small, dingy commoners' grave, consisting of a spindly headstone above a plain, if defiled, grave. Rin knew Church policy; Ramza would have been buried without a casket, facing downward, since he had been a condemned heretic at the time of his death, thereby being sent to Hell, in church theory. Suddenly overcome by the graffiti, dead flowers, and false offerings surrounding Ramza's grave, Rin sank to her knees, finding herself at eye level with the inscription on the headstone. With a soft gasp of sheer pain, the ebony haired girl felt the sobs being torn from her by total grief.  
  
"To my beloved Rin, I believe I shall find you, either in life, or later in death. Your honor has been avenged by my sword, my only goal the defense of the heart you stole from me."  
  
Rin cried herself to sleep, left alone as Lynsi flew off to hunt. When the dark haired mage woke hours later, her throat sore, her lungs congested, her usually sharp mind fogged.  
  
End Chapter Five-Coming Home 


	6. Ramza and Reis

Dragon's Tears  
  
Chapter Six - Ramza and Reis  
  
A/N: In this fic, as of this chappie, six years have passed since Ramza learned of Rin's "death". The Lion War is over, Alma and Ramza have fled Ivalice, and it is just prior to Ovelia's murder (Delita kills her out of jealousy). Bear with me, if I recieve requests, I will write a separate side story on what Rin did during the War. Thank you, and R&R!!!  
  
Btw, to the reviewer who mistakenly said the job class was Dragoon, you are so wrong I feel sorry for you. The Dragoon class doesn't even exist in Final Fantasy Tactics, it is the Lancer Class. And anyone who had played the game properly and gotten Reis, would know that the Dragoner class is one of the most powerful. Thank you.

In a small village in a remote, northern region of Ivalice, Ramza Beoulve sat at his kitchen table and watched his new bride flit about the kitchen. Beowulf's last words had been a command to Ramza to marry Reis and take care of her. Ramza had done so, and he was happier than he had been in a very long time. Thoughts of Rin no longer had the power to reduce him to tears; he had accepted their unspoken, innocent love as a youthful infatuation, nothing more than a schoolboy crush. Reis had come to terms with Beowulf's death in a short amount of time, and the rest of the surviviors had migrated to this village. Alma had opened a small shop, selling accesories and women's armor. T.G. Cid had been elected mayor, and Malak had been seen trying to marry Rafa off to the older swordsman. Meliadoul had taken up with Mustadio, and they were talking about tying the knot. All had been going well, though tonight would be the last night of peace Ramza would enjoy for a long time.  
  
In a sudden burst of sound and speed, Agrias threw open the door, startling them both, and gasping something about another survivor, and could Reis come translate - the only creature who knew what had happened to the deathly ill woman was a dragon. The thirty-four year old Dragoner ran from the house, brought up short by the sight of the magnificent black dragon sitting agitatedly outside the house of the healer. Ramza had run after her, meeting Alma in the street, hurrying along to follow his wife. The dragon didn't faze him, just another occupational hazard of being married to a Dragoner. As he approached the small clinic, the dragon turned its head toward him, and his shock sent him to his knees. The dragon's eyes were a beautiful shade of crystalized green that he'd never thought he would see again. He felt himself shaking, and turned to Alma to see her face lit up with absolute joy. Reis had gone into the clinic, to check on the patient and learn the dragon's name.  
  
The woman in the tiny sterile room shocked Reis with her beauty and her illness. Her hair was as black as her dragon's scales, and she was a fully bonded Dragoner, the dragon's eyes had changed color to match hers. Reis flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder and approached the young woman's bed. As she came nearer, Reis saw a purple scale amulet necklace begin glowing beneath the sheet over the girl. With sheer control alone, the girl forced her eyes open.  
  
"You are the Dragoner...who recieved power through dragon form..." The stranger's statement caught Reis off guard.  
  
"Yes. Who are you?" Reis was oddly stunned. This girl was born a Dragoner, she had a companion dragon who would die for her.  
  
""I am Rin Leskaia, Sorceress and Dragoner, companion of the dragon Lynsi."  
  
Reis gasped in utter astonishment. Rin Leskaia was an old friend of Alma's who had died before the War. Reis turned onn her heel and walked out, ignoring the indignation of the powerful girl. She went directly outside to the dragon, only to hear the black haired girl's identity confirmed. She ordered Alma to go in and help the healer, and Ramza followed his sister in a state of confusion. Inside, Alma took one look at the girl lying there, and she squealed in delight.  
  
"Rin!!! Oh, Rin, where have you been!?" Alma ran to the bedside and stared down at her dearest friend.  
  
"Alma....? I saw...your grave... I thought you were..." Rin's words trailed away in a fit of coughing that left her weak and sad. She had cried herself to sleep in the cemetery...five days before, only to wake up and find Delita staring down at her. She had explained briefly, and he had told her to go. He had promised to leave her search for Rammza alone, on the condition that she fight him. She had, ill as she was from a night out in the cold and wet. The injuries that she had recieved had almost killed her, but she had defeated him, and fled on Lynsi's back. Somehow, the dragon had known to bring her here, where Alma and....  
  
"Ramza..." Rin was ashamed to hear her voice come out as such an ugly croak. He stared at her, not believing his eyes, trying desperately to understand why he didn't want to tell her about Reis. The sound of her voice was enough to bring him to her bedside. The loving, disbelieving tone of her words pulled his arms around her. Ramza held Rin and whispered his shock in her hair. Oh, God... She could be his again...what was he going to tell Reis? Why tell her anything, he had never told Rin his feelings; he was happy with Reis, life with Rin was a complete unknown, Ramza told himself. He knew it wasn't true, but he had promised Beowulf, and he would keep his promise. Rin had changed...Ramza looked at her quietly. Her hair was longer, her body slender as a dancer's and curvaceous enough to make any man dream. Her eyes were the most obviously changed though. The once soft but sad green had hardened into cold and cynical jade. She had seen death and damnation firsthand, Rin had killed as many if not more people than Ramza, and her life had not been condusive to kindness or friendship.


End file.
